Tobacco stemming and tipping machine



Aug. 21, 1956 M. J. SLOVIC TOBACCO STEMMING AND TIPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 50, 1953 INVENTOR M. J. SLOV'IC ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1956 M. J. SLOVIC 2,759,483

TOBACCO STEMMING AND TIPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M. J. SLCVEC M. J. SLOVIC TOBACCO STEMMING AND TIPPING MACHINE Aug. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 30, 1953 INVENTOR M J. SLOVIC ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1956 M. J. SLOVIC TOBACCO STEMMING AND TIPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR M'. J. SLOViC ATTORNEY EBY Aug. 21, 1956 M. J. SLOVIC 2,759,483

TOBACCO STEMMING AND TIPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 50, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 5 N r0 Q q- 1 f I i Q Jl 1 s .n, V I1! 9 m i I 9% 3 28 Na m 23 w T o r s i? m r0 LO INVENTOR M. J. SLOVIC ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,759,483 TOBACCO STEMMDJG AND TIPPING MACHINE Matthew J. Slovic, Hopewell, Va. Application November 30, 1953, Serial No. 395,070 3 Claims. (Cl. 131-126)- This invention relates to the tobacco industry and more particularly to the preparation of tobacco so that it may be employed in the manufacture of tobacco products of variouskinds including smoking and chewing tobaccos; The inventionis concerned specifically with the removal ofthe stems and the tips of the leaves of tobacco aswell as to amachine by means of which such operations'can be performed.

The handling of tobacco including the cutting of the tie-leaf or leaf which binds the other leaves into a bundle orhand, the separation of the leaves from the stems and the removal or detachment of the tips of the leaves has presented a substantial problem particularly onaccount of the amount of time and labor required, resulting in sub stantial expense and increasing the cost of the end product, and being the determining factor in whether or not themanufacture of the product was commercially feasible.

It is an object of the invention to provide mechanism for gripping the leaves of tobacco between cooperating upper and lower conveyors and carrying the leaves past a rotary stripping cylinder having projections or fingers which efficiently and economically remove the leaf portions'of the tobacco from the stems except for smallportions at the tips which may be detached either after the stripping is performed or prior thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tobacco stemming and tipping machine including conveying means for the tobacco with the stems disposed transversely-of the machine in either direction and with structure for facilitating the proper end-wise location or alignment-of the tobacco.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ma chine including a stripping cylinder, upper and'lower cooperating conveyors, and tip detaching means; as well as a machine in which the conveyors are caused to resiliently grip the tobacco and simultaneously carry it past the stripping cylinder, and a machine in which the tip detaching means may be located either behind or ahead of the strip ping cylinder.

Further objects and advantages of the invention-will be apparent from the following description taken in con junction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a machine for removing the leaves of the tobacco from the stems and for detaching the tips of the leaves;

Fig. 2, a top plan view of the portion of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a top plan view of associated feeding" mechanism for conveying the tobacco to the portion of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and with means for-aligning the butt ends of the hands of the tobacco, for cutting the tie-leaf, and thereafter having gauge means whereby the tips-of the individual leaves may be aligned prior to being gripped by the machine and the tobacco stripped downwardly from the stems;

Fig. 4, a top plan view of a modified form of feeding; mechanism generally similar to that of Fig, 3 exceptthat' .theends of the tobacco are reversed, the cuttersep'arates r 2,759,483 Ice Patented Aug. 21, 1956 the tips'f'r'om the stems and gauge means-is-enspleyed whereby the butts of the hands of tobacco maybe aligned prior to being gripped and the tobacco stripped froin'the stems; and 1 I ig. 5, atransve'rse section taken s''ubstantially'on line 5-*5 of Fig: l.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a machine having a frame on which are supported lower andn per eon veyors urged together by spring pressed rollers order to gri tobacco therebetween and to carry the same past a stripping cylinder having spaced fingers or projections which engage and strip the tobacco from the-stems Of-tll leaves. Thestnpping cylinder is' provided with adjnstable guide or loading bars mounted beside the conveyors so that theleaves of tobacco may be located in the proper endwise position relative to the conveyor. The machine is likewise' p'rovided with rotary cutters or tipping' dises fo'r severing the tipsf'rorn the stems of tobacco and the conveyors and stripping cylinders are driven bysiii'table means such as one or more electric motors.

The invention contemplates a stripping cylinder of frusto-conical shape, such stripping cylinder being supported with its axis substantially parallel to the runs of the conveyors,- such stripping cylinder having a tapered end" portion forguiding leaves of tobacco into contact with the-portion of the cylinder which is of larger diam eter. The stripping cylinder is provided with rows of axially spacedstripping fili'geiS Or projections Which engage the tobacco and strip it, preferably in the direction of the grain, from the lower portions of the stems leaving the-.tips of leavesintact. Between the stripping cylinder and-the end-of the machine are located suitable tipping discs or-knives' which serve to sever the stems from-the tips-.-

WitlT contiiitied reference to the drawings-the machine of the present invention comprises a frame 10 on which are mounted an up er or overlying pair of conveyors 1'1" and a lower or underlying pair of conveyors 12. The upper conveyors are mounted on-pulleys 13 and'14 on shafts 15 and 16-supported on'the frame 10. The lower conveyors'12 are mounted on pulleys 17 and 18 on shafts 19 and 20 supported onthe frame 10.

The uppernins' of the lower set of conveyors are sup -1 portedby rollers 21' on axles 22 carried by the frame'lo and serving to maintain such upper'runs in a substantially horizontal plane. The lower runs of the upper conveyor 11 are pressed downwardly by means of a rollers 23' mounted on pivots 24 carried by pivot arms 25, the upper ends of which are suitably pivoted on the frame 10.1 The rollers ZS areurged downwardly toward the rollerszl by means: of springs 26 located between the pivots or shaffs' 24 of the rollers and fixed projections 27 on the frame of the machine. This construction permits tobacco toi be resiliently gripped between the upper and lower conveyors and held between the' conveyors as they travelat' the same rate of speed.

A motor--28, or other source of power may be employed forv driving the-conveyors 11 and 12,.such motor being mounted. on the frame 10 and having a shaft 29, with-a pulley 30 thereon driving, by means of a V-belt 31, a pulley 32 on the shaft '20 which carries the pulley 18 on which'the lower conveyor 12 is disposed. The upper conv'eyo'rs 11 are driven from the shaft 20' by means of pulleys 33 thereon, pulleys 34 on the shaft 16, and a twisted belt" 35; whereby contiguousruns of the upper and lower conv'e'yors'travel in the same general direction.

A*-pair' of -'cutters36' and 37 are mounted on suitable Shafts' SS 'and 39 journaled onthe frame 10 and pr ovided with intermeshing gears 40 and 41, the lowershaftj a similar character may be provided for detaching the tips of the leaves prior to the stripping of the stems, such cutters 36 and 37', Fig. 4, may be mounted on suitable shafts 38' and 39'. These cutters may be driven the same as the cutters 36 and 37.

Beside the conveyor is mounted a stripping cylinder having fingers or projections for removing tobacco from the stems. The stripping cylinder comprises end members 45 and 46 rotatably mounted on a shaft 47 fixed to the frame 10. Between the end members are longitudinally mounted bars with parallel portions 4-8 and angular portions 49, and on which outwardly extending fingers or projections 50 are supported. These fingers engage the leaves of the tobacco and strip the tobacco from the stems. The fingers are spaced un formly along the bars and the latter are spaced uniformly around the circumference of the cylinder. The fingers on the tapering portion of the bars increase progessively in length as the bars converge so that the outer ends of the fingers of the bar are in substantial alignment. A guard 51 adjacent the converging ends of the bars assists in directing the tobacco into contact with the stripping fingers.

The stripping cylinder is provided with one or more pulleys 52 for the reception of one or more V-belts 53 driven from one or more pulleys 54- on shaft 55 of a motor 56 mounted on a bracket 57 attached to the frame 10. Beneath the stripping cylinder a conveyor 58 is transversely disposed, such conveyor being mounted on spaced pulleys 59 carried by shafts 69 on the frame 10. Tobacco stripped from its stems is deposited upon the conveyor 58, and is carried to a suitable point of discharge not shown.

In order to feed leaves so that they will be gripped between the upper and lower conveyors 11 and 12 additional conveyors 61, 62, and 63 are provided, such conveyor belts having their upper surfaces in substantially the same plane as that of the upper surfaces of the lower conveyor belts. The belts 61 and 63 overlap the upper and lower conveyor belts 11 and 12 while the belt 62 is shorter and located between the belts 61 and 63 in alignment with the belts 11 and 12. The belt 61 is mounted on pulleys 64 and 65, the belt 63 is mounted on pulleys 66 and 65, and the belt 62 is mounted on pulleys 65 and 70. The pulleys 64 and 66 are supported on a shaft 67 mounted in suitable bearings on the frame. The shaft 67 is driven by means of a pulley 68 fixed thereon for receiving power through a belt 69 from one of the driving motors of the machine or any other suitable source of power. at a rate of speed corresponding to that of the belts 11 and 12.

Beside the belt 61 is disposed a guide having a mounting flange 71 and an upright guiding flange 72 against the outer face of which the tobacco is adapted to be engaged. The base or flange '71 is provided with transverse slots '73 through which project threaded studs 74 on which wing nuts 75 are adjustable so that the guide member may be adjusted transversely of the width of the apparatus. Diagonally across the machine on the opposite side of the conveyor belt 63 adjacent the edge of machine is mounted a similar guide 77 mounted in a similar manner and having a guiding surface 78 against which the butt or tie ends of the bundles or hands of tobacco which are adapted to be engaged for insuring the proper location of the tobacco on the conveyor.

Adjacent the outer edge of the conveyor 63, between the guide 77 and the pulley 66, is mounted a bundle opener 79 which may be similar to that shown in Patent 2,053,307 to Priddy for removing or cutting the tie leaves around the bundles or hands of tobacco as they travel along the conveyor. The leaves of the bundles are then carried along and the stems of the leaves are moved manually into contact with the guide surface 72 The belts 61 and 63 travel I and such leaves are fed by the conveyor belts to the coacting conveyors 11 and 12.

The separated leaves are then fed into the space between the upper and lower conveyors 11 and 12 where they are resiliently gripped by the conveyors and the stem ends of the leaves engage the rotating cylinder so that the leaf portions of the tobacco are removed from the stems by a downward motion of the fingers 50. After the gripped leaves have passed the cylinder the butt ends of the stems are severed by cutting disks 36 and 37 and removed and the remaining portion of the leaf including the tip ends are carried from the conveyors 11 and 12 and are collected for use.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for separating valuable leaf portions from the stems of tobacco leaves comprising a first conveyor on which tobacco leaves are oriented so that the stems thereof extend transversely of the direction of movement of the first conveyor, a leaf tip guide mounted to extend substan' tially parallel to the said first conveyor for adjustment toward and away from said first conveyor, a pair of vertically opposed gripping conveyors aligned in the direction of movement of said first conveyor for receiving the leaves from said first conveyor and maintaining the leaves against removal and in oriented relation, a drum arranged in generally parallel relation to said opposed gripping conveyors, radially extending projections on said drum for engaging the stem ends of the leaves while the leaves are gripped between and moved by said opposed gripping conveyors, and means to rotate said drum to remove leaf portions from the stems at the stem ends of the tobacco leaves, and means located adjacent the discharge end of said gripping conveyors for cutting each deleafed stem portion of the leaves from the remaining tip portion of the leaves whereby the remaining tip portions of the leaves may be collected upon discharge from the opposed gripping conveyors.

2. Apparatus for separating valuable leaf portions from the stems of tobacco leaves comprising a first conveyor on which tobacco leaves are oriented so that the stems thereof extend transversely of the direction of movement of the first conveyor, a leaf tip guide mounted to extend substan tially parallel to the said first conveyor for adjustment toward and away from said first conveyor, 9. pair of vertically opposed gripping conveyors aligned in the direction of movement of said first conveyor for receiving the leaves from said first conveyor and maintaining the leaves against removal and in oriented relation, a tie leaf cutter mounted adjacent to and in operative relation to said first conveyor and on the side thereof opposed to said leaf tip guide in operative relation to said first conveyor and in advance of said gripping conveyors whereby the tie leaves of a hand of tobacco may be removed and the leaves thereafter may be guided by said adjustable guide, a drum arranged in generally parallel relation to said opposed gripping conveyors, radially extending projections on said drum for engaging the stem ends of the leaves while the leaves are gripped between and moved by said opposed gripping conveyors, and means to rotate said drum to remove leaf portions from the stems at the stem ends of the tobacco leaves, and means located adjacent the discharge end of said gripping conveyors for cutting each deleafed stern portion of the leaves from the remaining tip portion of the leaves whereby the remaining tip portions of the leaves may be collected upon discharge from the opposed gripping conveyors.

3. Apparatus for separating valuable leaf portions from the stems of tobacco leaves comprising a first conveyor on which tobacco leaves are oriented so that the stems thereof extend transversely of the direction of movement of the first conveyor, a leaf tip guide mounted to extend substantially parallel to the said first conveyor for adjustment toward and away from said first conveyor, a pair of vertically opposed gripping conveyors aligned in the direction of movement of said first conveyor for receiving the leaves from said first conveyor and maintaining the leaves against removal and in oriented relation, a drum arranged in generally parallel relation to said opposed gripping conveyors, said drum being of generally conical shape at its end adjacent said first conveyor whereby leaves will be guided thereover, radially extending projections on said drum for engaging the stern ends of the leaves while the leaves are gripped between and moved by said opposed gripping conveyors, and means to rotate said drum to remove leaf portions from the stems at the stem ends of 10 the tobacco leaves, and means located adjacent the discharge end of said griping conveyors for cutting each deleafed stem portion of the leaves from the remaining tip portion of the leaves whereby the remaining tip portions of the leaves may be collected upon discharge from the opposed gripping conveyors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

